Necro: The Untold Story of Illia
by EffieNecress
Summary: Necro's untold story, told through his eyes, about his life with Effie, and how a wish, competing in the Third World Warrior Tournament, his recurring childhood memories, and teaming up with the Lee Brothers gave him the strength to fight for his freedom and save his brother from Gill.
1. A Wish for Freedom

Necro: The Untold Story of Illia

By: EffieNecress (Desiree S.)

Chapter 1: A Wish for Freedom

It was a week after being experimented on, and the Illuminati's train laboratory was still as cold, dark, and strange as it had always been since the first time Gill had taken me there. However for me, Illia, now known as the mutant super soldier Necro, it was more like a locomotive prison of pure despair, despite gaining the ability to fight and being able to stretch my limbs and generate electricity from my body. Each night grew even harder, as my longing for freedom grew even more intense than I had ever imagined, and the emotional pain I always felt took a toll on my body, as well as my mind, no matter hard I tried to hide it or hold it back, when all I wanted was to have a better life for myself…

One cold and snowy winter night, I decided to look out the train window, in hopes of finding a falling star. My lovely companion and girlfriend, Effie, had just woken up from her slumber and had a curious look on her face.

"How come you're looking out the window Illia?" she asked me.

"Well Effie, I'm searching the night sky for a falling star." I explained to her, pointing at the sky.

"Oh, I see. What'll happen if we see one?"

"If we see one, we'll be able to make a wish, and I definitely know what I'll be wishing for." I said.

"Whatever you wish for Illia, I'll wish for too." she said, and kissed me on the cheek.

"Aw, thanks Effie." I said with a huge grin, as I embraced her warm body against my own.

We were about to get a little more intimate when suddenly, a falling star appeared in the moonlit sky, striking our attention.

"Look Illia, there's a falling star!" Effie suddenly pointed out at the star, "Now's your chance to make a wish!"

"All right then, here goes."

I took a deep breath, and finally looked at my falling star.

"I wish to one day regain my freedom from this dreaded locomotive prison, with my sweet Effie alongside me, and to one day get my revenge from Gill, the one who did this to me."

I wished, but as I was making the wish, my eyes started to overflow with tears. I tried my best to hold back my sadness, but the tears had already begun to stream down my face and I couldn't help but to quietly sob. I thought about my family, my four brothers, my small lakeside village, and the freedom that I once had before I was kidnapped, mutated, and placed into this awful lab of imprisonment. The pain of my despair was so exhausting and emotionally draining.

Effie then embraced me tightly and began to wipe my tears away with her gentle hand.

"It's alright Illia, I'm sure you'll get your wish." She said, "After all, I wished for the same thing, only I also wished that we'd always be together."

"I'm so happy you believe in me, Effie. I know that one day, our wish will come true, and I'll finally achieve my dream." I said, while softly caressing her.

"Me too, but what kind of dream is it that you have?" she asked out of curiosity.

"My dream is to become a famous opera singer, and to one day strike it big." I said in deep thought, as I finally became very sleepy. "We should get some rest now, Effie. Tomorrow, we'll find a way to escape from this awful place and regain our freedom."

"I suppose we should, if we want to get out of this place. Good night, Illia."

"Good night, Effie. See you in the morning."

We exchanged a long passionate kiss, and went back to our chamber. As I stepped inside my slumber pod, I felt very hopeful and confident about the wish I made with Effie, and I was reassured that I would be able to achieve my greatest dream of becoming an opera singer. I fell into a deep sleep, and began dreaming about the day that I finally get the life I had always dreamed about and wished for.


	2. Escape from the Prison of Despair

Chapter 2: Escape from the Prison of Despair

It was the next morning, and I had just woken up from my deep slumber. I emerged from my slumber pod, and began to rub the sleep from my eyes. Effie was already awake, and she was holding a breakfast tray that had our plates of eggs and bacon with two glasses of orange juice and 4 slices of toast.

"Good morning Illia!" she said with a smile, "I've made some breakfast!"

"How nice of you to make breakfast Effie, thank you!" I said and kissed her tenderly.

We both sat down at our table and began eating our breakfast.

"Mmmm, these eggs and bacon taste so good with the toast and orange juice. You did a good job making them." I said, after quickly finishing my tasty meal.

"Glad you like it, Illia." She said, as she cleared our empty plates and put them on the conveyor belt that goes to the lab's main kitchen.

"Well then, let's discuss our little plan now shall we?" I said, and we went to a secret room where the Illuminati Scientists wouldn't expect anything.

"All right, here's the plan. We wait until every scientist in the lab has gone in for the night. Once they do, we'll sneak out the back, jump out of the window, and we'll instantly gain our freedom!"

"That's a great plan Illia, but what'll happen if we get caught?" Effie asked in concern.

"If that's the case, then you'll jump out the window, while I electromagnetically shock them to death with my Magnetic Storm." I said.

"Sounds like a good backup. I think we better get back to our chamber, so we can go forward with it." Effie hinted with a tug of my arm.

"Sounds like a good idea to me, Effie." I said, and we headed back to our chamber, hand in hand.

* * *

Later that night, after every scientist went in for the night, Effie and I walked out of our chamber, while checking the hall for any who were on patrol.

"Okay, the hallway's clear. Let's go."

We began to quietly sneak through the hallway, towards the main exit. It was just as dark and eerie as before, with the same tree sap powered machine now silenced. The strange creatures inside the tubes were no longer moving, as they usually did whenever the machine was being operated. This was the perfect opportunity for us to escape.

"All right Effie, now's our chance." I said, encouraging her to escape.

We were just about to climb the window when I heard voices from a distance. "Sound the alarm! We can't let them escape from the lab!"

"We've been spotted Effie, quick jump out the window! I'll take care of things from here!" I said.

"But Illia, you'll get captured and restrained with those horrid chains..." Effie said, with a sad tone in her voice.

"Don't worry, with my electric shocks, they'll never be able to survive."

Then an army of scientists started running towards us, and each of them had chains. I knew what I had to do to protect both Effie and me.

"Magnostorm!" I let out a huge shower of electricity that shocked everything in sight. My Magnetic Storm's electric current was so strong, that it sent their mutation machine into critical overdrive.

"I warned you… but you bastards didn't listen. Now you'll wish you had never experimented me in the first place!" I shouted at them all, "Now if you all don't mind, I'm off to find that so called President and Messiah that you all work for."

I immediately jumped out the window, and grabbed a hold of Effie. As we were in mid-air, the machine exploded, sending shards of glass and metal everywhere, causing the train car to erupt in flames.

I landed safely on the snowy ground, and gently placed Effie down.

"That felt great… and totally electrifying!" I said, amazed at my strong electric ability. "Now if only I can find out where Gill is…"

"I think this may help us out, Illia." Effie showed me a flier of the upcoming event that Gill was organizing, the Third World Warrior Tournament. "That's it… I should enter that tournament, and then I'll be able to get my revenge on Gill, and get us our freedom back!"

"Ooh, can I come too Illia?" Effie asked with a look of excitement in her eyes.

"Of course you can come, Effie." I said, embracing her, "Then when I'm fighting in a round, you'll be able to watch and give me some support."

"Don't forget, I'll be one of the judges, in case you tie with the enemy." Effie hinted with a sign she received upon becoming a judge.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that." I said, "Well, let's get going to the tournament then."

We then set off on our journey, one that would take us to many different places around the globe, and most importantly give me the strength and confidence I needed to fight for my freedom.


	3. The First Bout

Chapter 3: The First Bout

The day of the tournament had finally come, and I was hyped up and pumped from the numerous days I had spent training, with Effie as my training coach. With my thoughts of attaining freedom and Effie's words of encouragement, I was motivated to do well in the first fight.

The location it took place was in Hong Kong, which was quite a way away from my home in Moscow. I was inside a fancy looking Chinese palace, with a fish tank and three statues in which I would find some enjoyment in breaking. A young looking kid, with long bangs, yellow fingerless gloves, and a long sleeveless red shirt had jumped down from the staircase railing. From the looks of it, he was to be my first opponent.

"You're going down!" I said, with a glint in my eyes.

"You may want to rethink that before we begin our bout." He said, running his fingers through his bangs.

"Just who the hell do you think you are, a wise guy!" I screamed in fury at his comment.

"Nope, I'm just a master of Chinese Kempo and one of the Lee Brothers."

"I don't care who you are, or what you do. I'm here to fight for my freedom!" I motioned for Effie to go to the sidelines, and I prepped myself for the fight to finally begin. "Now let's get it on!"

"Round One: Fight!"

The first round finally began and with my quick speed, I initiated the first attack.

"Blast!" I let out a shower of sparks which sent my opponent flying airborne, causing him to break one of the statues.

He got up, but seemed to be a little light-headed from the jolt. "Tourou Zan!" he tried to slash me three times with his hand, but I quickly grabbed him by the ankle, and threw him across to the other side of the stage.

"Ha! Didn't see that coming now, did you?" I said mockingly, as he rubbed his face.

"Those moves of yours… they're quite strange… just who are you?" he said in pain.

"To be honest I actually have two names: Illia and Necro." I said, "But I'd prefer being called Illia, since that's my real name and Necro just sounds a little odd to me."

"So that explains it… you're working for the Illuminati aren't you?"

"Hell no! Why would I even be working for these bastards?" I shouted furiously at him, "You seriously have a lot of nerve to assume such shit."

It was clear to me that this punk kid was beginning to piss me off… "Now it's time to finish your sorry ass off! Slam Dance!" I grabbed him by the waist and slammed him on the ground three times. Sure enough, he was KO'd.

"That'll teach you to mess with me." I said with a huge smirk, as I looked over his downed body.

"Round Two: Fight!"

Things were beginning to heat up since I had unleashed my rage on this kid.

"Tornado Hook!" I began to spin around punching him in the face with each rotation.

"Senkyuutai!" he rebounded back with a sharp kick to the jaw.

"Damn it!" I uttered in pain, but I was lucky he didn't break any teeth out of me.

"Lost your composure hmm?" he said in an observant manner.

"I'm just getting started! Rising Cobra!" I gave him a swifter kick to the head that knocked him to the ground. I suddenly noticed that Effie wasn't the only one watching, as there was another person on the sidelines. He had the same colored fingerless gloves as my opponent, except he sported a ball cap and a long sleeveless white shirt.

"Come on Yang, don't let this freak get the best of you!" he shouted.

"Freak? Who are you callin a freak, you punk ass little kid!" I shouted at him.

"Yun, I'm fine. In fact, I'm getting some enjoyment out of observing his moves, but can he handle this?" Yang began to charge his power up and then… "Seiei Enbu!" he suddenly powered himself up, and created clones.

"I don't think so! Magno Storm!" I shocked him with an ultra powered electric jolt that sent him flying across the stage. Yun looked pretty angry and pissed off, and Effie was clapping happily.

"Flying Viper!" I knocked him back down with a hard smack of my hands. Yang was breathing heavily and was at the point of exhaustion. His hair was disheveled, and his face was completely swollen.

"What's the matter, getting tired?" I asked in a mocking voice.

"I'm… I'm not giving up yet!" he proclaimed in defiance.

"Raishin Mahhaken!" he swiftly slashed me with his hands, but I had a great comeback ready for him.

"Electric Snake!" I sparked the ground with a current of electricity, shocking the last bit of his strength out of him. Yang immediately fell backwards unable to get back up again, which wasn't a huge surprise for me.

"So boring… I could spare change while kicking your ass without breaking a sweat." I said, nodding my head over how easy and how boring the fight turned out to be.

"You did it Illia, you won!" Effie ran over to me with a flying hug.

"I sure did, Effie. Now we're just a few steps away from our freedom." I said, and we shared a kiss for my victory.

"You… you beat my brother…" Yun said in an angry manner. "For this, I'm going to challenge you to a fight, you elastic freak!"

"Bring it on, kiddo!" I said to him with a tone of confidence, "I'll be sure to electrify you just as good as I did to your precious brother Yang!"

"You'll pay for this you electric powered rubber band, just wait and see in our round tonight, in the streets of Hong Kong!"

"I so can't wait to beat the crap of you. Come on Effie, let's go. I've got some more training to do for tonight."

So Effie and I headed off to find a training hall, leaving Yun to mutter curses while tending to his brother's wounds. I thought fighting for freedom was going to be easy, but it turns out that the road to freedom was going to be more grueling than ever before…


	4. One Twin's Defeat, Another Twin's Demise

Chapter 4: One Twin's Defeat, Another Twin's Demise

Night had fallen in the bustling streets of Hong Kong, and the city was aglow with neon lights, despite the drizzling rain that began to fall. I stood and waited with Effie, stretching my arms and charging my electricity for my fight with Yun. He suddenly appeared from the darkness, with his brother close behind him.

"What the- I thought I knocked him out cold?" I was shocked to see that he had recovered so quickly.

"I've regained my strength, but my wounds are still healing." Yang said with a wise tone, "I must say Necro, you've got a strong will and incredible strength for someone who's well… a little out of the ordinary."

"Thanks for noticing. It comes from my longing to regain my freedom again, though I am impressed with your insanity Yang." I said, with a confident smile on my face, as I was embracing Effie for good luck.

"Uh…Thanks." Yang said nervously, as Yun became enraged, and suddenly said, "ENOUGH! It's time you get you deserved for beating my brother!"

Effie scurried to the sidelines with Yang, as I said, "I'm going to enjoy electromagnetically charging you in this weather."

"Round One: Fight!"

With lightning fast speeds, Yun and I went at each other with fists and hand chops.

"Blast!" I finally unleashed an electric current that knocked him back hard. "Aah! Hey, what are you, an electric freak generator! You're just so damn weird…"

"Don't give me that shit, boy!" I said, attempting to sound like an adult, "You can mock me all you want, but that won't the change the fact that you're weak against me."

"Oh yeah tough guy? Tetsuzanko!" he charged at me with great force, causing me to stumble backward.

"How do ya like that, huh?" Yun said to me in his signature cocky tone.

"Impressive… but how can it stand against this… Rising Cobra!" I slammed him down with a hard kick to the head, but for some reason he got back up again.

"Ha! Not good enough!" he said, but he unknowingly became an easy target.

"Tornado Hook!" I spun around and hit him five times in one consecutive rush, causing Yun to become stunned and unable to move.

"Time for you to see what good enough really is. Magno Storm!" I sent a high voltage of electrical energy through Yun's body, and knocked him out cold, using up what was left of his energy.

"Ha! Maybe you should think twice before you get too cocky, eh Yun?" I said.

"Shut up! You just got lucky because I wasn't using enough speed. We'll see who the real victor is in the next round!"

"Round 2: Fight!"

It was a more intense start in the next round, as Yun and I kept exchanging heavy blows with each other. It went on for about an hour, but I finally broke the monotonous cycle.

"Snake Fang!" I grabbed a hold of Yun's ankle and threw him across the street behind me.

"Zesshou Hohou!" he suddenly made a leaping stride toward me, hitting me on contact, and then… "Sorai Rengeki!" he then hit me with a six hit combo that knocked me down, and took some of my strength away. The pain from that attack was almost as bad as the pain of my despair, but I wasn't going to let it get to me.

"Can't stand up to my Kung-Fu can you freak?" he said with such arrogance. "You Hou!" he continued his painful attacks on me for no reason at all, and it was starting to irritate me, as well as cause Effie and Yang to become concerned.

I got up again, and for some strange reason, my eyes had now turned red from the rage I had withheld within my body. The electricity was now surging through me at an alarmingly fast rate.

"You've gone too far with your kids games you little punk… now I'm going show you what my white inferno of rage can really do to you!" I charged my electricity to a critically high level and then, "MAGNO STORM!" I unleashed a powerful surge of lightning, enough to easily paralyze a single human within seconds and cause a major power outage.

I then tackled Yun, coursing my electric energy into his body. "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" he began screaming as the electricity channeled into his body, and from my point of rage, I wasn't going to stop at anytime soon.

I was at the peak of my electric surge, when Yang and Effie ran over to the horrific scene. Effie's eyes began to fill with tears, and Yang began to show signs of fear for his brother's well being.

"Illia… Illia stop! Please! You'll hurt him!" Effie cried, as she had tears streaming down her face from seeing the rage I was in.

After hearing the tearful pleas from Effie, I finally stopped myself from surging anymore electricity and my eyes had returned to their normal yellow color. I then got up off of the now almost unconscious Yun, and looked down at his body.

"Yun! Yun! Are you all right?" Yang said in fear.

"I'm… fine Yang…" I then became fearful from I had done and looked back down at him. "Hey you… you're… that… cyborg called Necro right?" he asked me.

"Yes. Yes I am." I said to him, "But actually, my real name's Illia."

"That weird power… of yours… that was really intense…" he said, "You're not so bad… for a… freak…"

"Well thank you, and you're not so bad for a kid either." I said to him with a small tone of condolence. "Anyway, I'm sorry about what I did to you at the end of our match; it's just that I've never experienced that kind of intense rage before."

"Nah… it's my fault… I pushed you too hard…"

"Well at least you're good about admitting it." I said, "Now, I must go… I've got a long path to follow for my freedom."

I then picked up Effie and began to head to the next match, when…

"Wait!" Yang came running after us, with Yun slung over his shoulder.

"What do **YOU** want now?" I said, with slight annoyance.

"You're trying to attain your freedom from those Illuminati crooks, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes I am. Why? It's none of your damn concern." I said.

"I know it's not… but…" Yun then slid down from his brother's grasp. "We want to help. Your moves may be damn weird, but your motive and strong will is just as awesome as our Kung Fu!"

"Well… okay I guess." I said, "But remember my code: No mercy to weekend warriors and pansy freaks. Got it?"

"We got it!" the twins said. "But first, let's stop at the restaurant for some food."

"Yun!" Yang, Effie, and I said in unison.

"What? I'm starving, and it's wet outside!" Yun said, rubbing his stomach.

So then we all went inside Hong Kong Restaurant to have a meal, before Yun could start complaining about being hungry again.

From that moment on, I learned that it was okay to have friends and to unleash my rage as long as I didn't lose any control of it. But at least I had the reassuring feeling that attaining freedom was going to be a little easier on a tough road that lies ahead of me. With the Lee Brothers on my side, I was sure to get it no matter what.


	5. Dinner with a Side of Shocking News

Chapter 5: Dinner with a Side of Shocking News

It was cozy and warm inside the restaurant that the Lee brothers owned and worked at. The wafting aroma of Chinese food was very strong, and the tables were full of strange people. I was given the best table in the restaurant, and I was forced to wear a hat with a purple long sleeved button down shirt in order to hide my true identity from the public.

"Yang, tell me why the hell I have to wear these clothes?" I said, trying to whisper. "Seriously, I look ridiculous in these!"

"Illia, it's only until we get out of the restaurant… trust me, you'll learn to like wearing these sooner or later." Yang ran his fingers through his bangs again, amused at my disdain of my clothes.

"Okay, if you say so… just don't take any photos or I'll feel even sillier than I already do." I said to him, as I pulled my hat's lapel over my face.

"But Illia, you look really handsome in this outfit." Effie said, admiring my new threads. "Especially with the hat the way you've got it now."

"Well if you like it… I guess I'll like it too." I said, "But I still don't trust these punk kids."

"That's the spirit." Yang said, giving a stern look to Yun who was trying to hold back his laughter. "I'll be back in a few minutes with the food, so try not to let Yun get to you."

He then skated away to the kitchen, being careful not to collide with anything. Effie began to fall asleep, and so I wrapped my arms around her to keep her warm. Yun on the other hand was twitching his cap.

"So Illia… what brought you to the Third World Warrior Tournament anyway?" he asked out of curiosity.

"For your information Yun, I entered the tournament because I wanted to get my freedom back and get my revenge on Gill." I said tapping my fingers on the table.

"I get it, so this Gill was the one that made you a freak, right?"

"Exactly, but I don't want to talk about it…" I then took a sip of my soda.

"Why don't you?" Yun said, and sipped his tea.

"Because well… those memories are just too painful to remember…" I said, looking down slightly.

"But I'd like to know more about happened to- I mean the whole experiment thing."

"Well if I tell you, you better not laugh at me!" I said, "Or I'll give you another electromagnetic charge!"

"All right, geez." Yun said, easing back a little.

"Okay then here goes." I folded my hands together and looked down slightly. "Not very long ago, back when I was a normal boy, I left my village to search for a better life. As soon, as I got to the city… it was then when I encountered those Illuminati creeps and Gill…"

"Okay and what happened when you encountered Gill?"

"He came up to me, and promised me a better life, but only if I joined his organization. So, I did what he asked me and followed him somewhere… and that's… when… it happened…"

My eyes began overflowing with tears, prompting me to immediately pull out my silk purple handkerchief, which came with the shirt, and start dabbing my eyes.

"Don't say any more… it's very awful what they have done to you." Yun said with what little hidden sympathy he had.

"I know…" I said, "But the worst part about it is that I have to be this way for the rest of my life… that's why I'm going after Gill."

Suddenly, Yang appeared with 2 serving trays of our freshly cooked meal. I had ordered some almond breaded chicken, egg rolls, Chow Mein noodles, and sweet and sour chicken for me and Effie to share. Yun, on the other hand, ordered his favorite food, which looked kinda weird.

Yang sat down, and noticed me and Yun were finally getting along. He then said, "See Yun, if you don't act so cocky all the time, you'll be able to get along with others better."

"Shut up Yang, I was only interested in his story anyway." Yun said, with his mouth full of food.

"Speaking of story, I got you a newspaper to read Illia." Yang placed a newspaper down in front of me, while I was gently waking Effie up for our meal.

I ate a few bites of my noodles, and then read the newspaper. I didn't find anything interesting in particular, basically since I couldn't read Chinese or anything. But then I stumbled upon an article about a kidnapping that happened two days after I had escaped. For some reason, the victim shown in the picture looked familiar.

"Hey, that looks like my little brother Mikhail only… SWEET DESU! That is my little brother!" I said with a shocked expression, sending the Lee Brothers jumping out of their chairs, and causing Effie to be surprised.

"That's your brother? Let me see…" she peeked in the newspaper and saw the picture of my brother, as a human… and then she pointed at a girl that looked exactly like her.

"That's my sister right there." Effie showed me the picture, "Her name is Irina… she's very very nice, and you'll love to meet her. But I don't understand how she got kidnapped… unless maybe…"

"What?" The Lee Brothers said, "Tell us more!"

"Shut up you imbeciles! She's talking here!" I shouted and slammed my fist on the table. "Go on Effie."

"As I was thinking… maybe those Illuminati people kidnapped her and your brother, and forced them to join them." Effie said, in perfect theory.

"Those bastards are gonna pay for kidnapping our siblings!" I said, "I swear to it, they will!"

"They will indeed, especially for kidnapping my sister. Now let's go!"

We were about to leave the restaurant, when… "Wait for us!"

Yang and Yun came running after us, knocking over everything in sight. I simply did nothing, except to shake my head in embarrassment.

"You kids are just clumsy sometimes aren't ya?" I said and just slowly walked away with Effie, leaving them to try and catch up with us.

I had personally never thought that a fight for freedom would turn in to a fight to save my brother… but somehow it did. Yet, it gave me more motivation for facing tomorrow's opponent, wherever they may be, or how hard or easy fighting them might be… but somehow I knew, I had a long way to go.


	6. Hard Knocks, Electrifying Results

Chapter 6: Hard Knocks, Electrifying Results

The next round took the four of us to Brazil, in a place called San Paulo. There, the stage was set on a road with collided vehicles and spilled fruits. It reminded me of how messy Mikhail's hut used to be, back when I was living in Moscow.

I was all set up to fight, and I was getting prepared by punching the punch pads that Yang was training me with, and then my opponent came out of the blue, with a basketball in his hand. He wore one of those weird outfits that look like karate gear, except his was yellow. He had short dreadlocks, and looked exactly like the Brazilian version of a punk kid.

"Just look at that punk… he doesn't even look fit to fight. What a loser!" Yun said, poking fun at the karate punk looking kid fighter. This made Yang and Effie laugh, and me a bit more confident.

"Ha! You're right, Yun." I said, "He does look like a loser! Just look at that lame basketball he's holding! That's so lame."

"Hey! I'm not lame! I'm a student of Master Ken!" he shouted at us with an immature anger, which just made me give out a sly smile.

"Really now? Don't make me laugh." I said, mockingly "Then what's your name, 'Lil Punk'?" Yun and I broke into incessant laughter.

"My name's not punk, my name is Sean Matsuda, student of Ken Masters!" he then tried to throw the basketball at me, but Yun smacked it away.

"Oh, it's on now! Come on Illia, we'll show him who the real pros are!" Yun stepped in beside me, "We'll call ourselves the Electric Dragons!"

"Electric Dragons! What kind of asinine name is that? I was going for a name like the Electric Storm Shockers." I said, in opposition to his team name.

"Okay then, we'll call ourselves the Electric Storm Shocker Dragons." Yun said, "Now let's take this guy down!"

"All right then, Yun, let's do this, with supreme style!" I said. I then pointed at Sean and said, "You're going down!"

"Round 1: Fight!"

The fight began with all three of us going at each other at high speed. But Yun and I had a better idea, which involved combining our attacks together.

"Zesshou Houhou Blast!" I gave Sean a huge jolt of electricity, as Yun leaped forward and knocked him over. Yun and I high fived each other, as Effie and Yang cheered us on the sidelines.

"Tornado!" Sean began a circling kick towards Yun, and nearly made him stumble over.

"Not so bad now am I?" he said, dribbling his basketball. "I've been perfecting this technique for many days, to impress my master on the day I see him again."

"Yeah whatever. Shut up." Yun said, rubbing his side in pain. "I bet whoever your 'master' is, probably thinks you're a nuisance."

"Idiot is more like it." I said, "Or maybe even… Dan." I laughed at the name afterwards.

"How dare you say that name to me! Shoryu Cannon!" he launched a rapid shoryuken that merely missed me.

"Slam Dance!" I grabbed Sean and slammed him three times, instantly knocking him out. Yun recovered, and had an amazed look on his face.

"Whoa! Illia, I didn't know you could do that…" he said, giving me a bow, "You're like, so cool!"

"Thanks, it's just a move I learned through training." I said, "But I did also learn it while I was imprisoned."

Sean got up, and angrily pointed at me, "You're gonna get it the next round, especially for calling me Dan!"

"Bring it on, Dan!" I mockingly said, with confidence, and some cockiness I had gained from Yun.

"Round 2: Fight!"

Sean was all hyped up and speedier than ever, causing me to become slightly overwhelmed.

"Dragon Smash!" he slid over, pinned me down, and then bashed me hard in the chest with two fists.

"Damn it!" I screamed in pain, prompting Yun to prepare for a counterattack in my defense.

"Nishoukyaku!" he leaped up and struck Sean in the face with two kicks. Sean fell onto the ground, face down.

"Got him Illia!" Yun, said helping me up from the ground, "Now's your chance to knock him out!"

"Believe me… I've been born ready for this moment to come! Electric Snake!" I conducted a shower of sparks that struck the ground, causing him to become stunned.

"Now for the main event!" Yun and I said in unison, "Sourai Slam Dance Rengeki!" I grabbed Sean and slammed him three times, then held him up to allow Yun to kick him several times mid air. Sean was knocked out instantly, after the effects of our super art team attack.

"Ah yeah! We did it!" Yun and I gave each other a firm grasps of the fist for a great fight. Effie and Yang did the same, as if to mimic our actions.

Sean got up, and had a look of pure rage in his face. "You stupid punks! Now I have to retrain for my master all over again! And you…" he pointed at me, "I would've fixed you like I would fix my TV!"

I walked up to him, calm and collected, as if I were a true master to this kid. "You're a bit rude. Are you selfish as well?" I said to him in curiosity, "Tell me why you fight."

"I'll tell you, if you tell me why you fight." He said with his arms folded. "I'm sure you've got a master whom you're trying to impress."

"Actually, I have no master." I said in honesty, "But I know I've got a brother of my own to rescue, two friends I can count on, and a girlfriend that I'm doing a great job of impressing."

"Cool! But from what I've heard, you're also fighting for your freedom from that red and blue halfed guy right?" Sean said in interest.

"Exactly!" I said, "That's why I've entered the tournament in the first place, so I can get my freedom back."

"That's awesome! This'll definitely inspire me to be the greatest student that Ken Masters has ever taught. That's why I fight."

"Well that sounds like a valid reason to fight, I suppose." I said, scratching my head out of confusion. "Although I've never had a role model when I was growing up…"

"Illia come on, we gotta get goin if we wanna get to Gill." Yun motioned for me to leave.

"I better get going. I hope you find your master somewhere sooner or later."

"Thanks, it was meeting you; uh… what was your name again?"

"Just call me Illia. Everyone else does, since I hate being called Necro." I said with my head turned toward him.

"All right then, good luck Illia! Kick that blond haired guy's butt for me ok?"

"Okay I will. See you soon!"

We headed off to our next destination, as Sean headed the other direction to search for Ken. I couldn't help but think about the great teamwork that Yun showed when we were fighting together, as it had blown my mind earlier. I had a feeling that I might start trusting him with helping me save both my brother and get my freedom… if only I had some sort of sign that my brother was nearby. It wasn't going to be easy, but I knew that I'll be able to survive this long road ahead, well at least for a few more rounds... I guess.


	7. A Mysterious Sennin Reveals a Clue

Chapter 7: A Mysterious Sennin Reveals a Clue

On the way to the next stage, which was located somewhere in the Amazon Rainforest, I noticed there were light poles toppled over with shattered glass all around. It made me a little curious, so I went over to investigate the scene, with Effie and the Lee Brothers following behind.

"This looks a little strange… it's almost as if the electricity was absorbed somehow." Yang pointed out at the broken glass.

"You're right Yang. It does look a bit strange… I wonder if that's a sign of my brother's whereabouts." I said curiously, "But I wonder if he had anything to do with this…"

"Perhaps I can answer your questions, young Illia." A voice came from somewhere behind me.

"What the- Who the hell are you, and how do you know my name?" I jumped out of both shock and surprise.

"I am someone who can help you find the answers you are seeking and the clues that you are asking for."

"If you're someone who can help me find my brother, then show yourself!"

"Very well, as you wish." The voice said, and instantly before our eyes, appeared an old man, with tattered clothes on and weird squiggly hair. The sight of him caused Yang to cringe and me to go into a mild state of shock.

"You're an old man… and I thought I was a freak! You're like freakier than I am!"

"Hee hee! You've got quite the tongue for someone as young as yourself." The old man laughed, and then looked towards Yang, who was now observant.

"I see you've got yourself a little friend there."

"Uh, he's not exactly…"

"Of course we're friends. In fact, he and his girlfriend allowed me and my brother to help him get the very thing he wished for." Yang put his left around me, making me a little bashful.

"That's very kind of you and brother to do that, young Yang. Now, about Illia's brother…"

"You know where he is, don't you?" I asked out of worry. "If you do know, then tell me where to find him."

"I can't exactly tell you where he is, but I can give you clues on what happened to him and what place he was taken, in exchange for a good battle." In my mind, I figured that the old man was asking for the biggest electromagnetic charge of a lifetime.

"You're on, old man, and once I finish you off, you better give me those answers!"

"Hehehehe! You're a very confident, but interesting one indeed. Come, amuse me." He then stopped floating and was finally standing on solid ground.

I then began to charge my electricity for the fight, as Yang proceeded to go to the sidelines with Yun and Effie. I was certain that the old man was gonna need a coffin after this fight.

"Round 1: Fight!"

Things started off real slow at first, since my opponent kept moving swiftly and dodging my attacks. It started to irritate me after a while, so I prepared an attack.

"Flying Viper!" I leaped forward and struck him, knocking him over instantly.

"About time I knocked some wind out of ya, old man!" I said, with the usual smart mouthed tone.

"Hmmm… very impressive. But how about, this? Nichirin Sho!" he blasted out a small yellow orb from the tip of his hand. I nimbly dodged the blow and prepared to make a counterattack on him.

"Tornado Hook!" I spun around and struck him five times, knocking him over backwards on the ground. I grinned in mockery and confidence at his limp body.

"Had enough yet, old man?" I said in mockery, "From the looks of it, I think you could use a nap."

"I'm just getting started, Illia! In fact, your screwed up face is only entertainment."

"Wha- YOU TAKE THAT BACK!" I shouted in rage at his comment, my eyes and vision turning into a bright red color.

"Interesting, those red eyes must be from the trauma you've experienced from the one who mutated you and imprisoned you in the train lab." He said observantly, after getting up from the ground.

"Just how is that any of your damn business? Who the hell do you think you are anyway, a mind reading old man?"

"I'm a sennin, young one, and yes I'm old. But I have only one name, Oro."

"Oro, huh? That's a weird name if you ask me." I said in an odd tone, "But at least it's better than Necro."

"I see your eyes have changed back to yellow. Tell me what the secret is behind them."

"Uh that? Well, it was from my endless rage and despair from my imprisonment in the lab. It seems that my emotions were interfering with my mutation."

"Fascinating… but enough chit chat! Try this for size! Yagyou Dama!" he shot out a huge green orb that went toward me.

I did my best to block it, but the orb came at me fast, and knocked me over on impact. I felt a sharp pain coursing in my back as I got up.

"That smarts…" I was hunched over in pain, and for some reason I felt the burning sensation of rage within me, but I held it back.

"Hee hee hee! It does not strike you, yet you'll be dragged into it. That's the secret of the Yagyou Dama." He said with a tone of confidence.

My rage suddenly came out and my eyes turned red once again. "YOU ARE GOING TO PAY DEARLY FOR THIS! MAGNO STORM!" I suddenly shocked him with a strong current of electricity at full power. I suddenly became the same merciless person that I was from that fight I had from Yun… but somehow I had some control over my rage.

"NOW TO FINISH YOU OFF, SLAM DANCE!" With full power, I slammed Oro about 10 times, before he was knocked out completely. Afterwards, I began to scream violently like a person who had just been possessed by an evil spirit.

"Take it easy Illia! You won the first round, there's nothing to be angry about…" Yun said, shocked at my rage.

"SHUT UP!" I screamed at him, "I'M NOT STOPPING UNTIL ALL OF HUMANITY SUFFERS THROUGH MY HANDS!" I continued to scream as the painful memories kept coming back into my head.

Oro got up, and was surprised at how my rage wouldn't subside. "This is a serious matter, I see… But nonetheless this battle was one of the best ones I had in 10 years." He said with an astonished face. "Very well, I shall reveal a clue of where you all can find Mikhail."

Oro then looked to Effie, and said "You might want to give this to Illia, it'll help relieve him from his rage." He handed her a bowl of some weird kind of herbal soup he made.

"Thanks, but what is this stuff?" Effie asked with a peculiar look on her face."

"This is a special lavender and chamomile broth. It helps to calm one from the emotions of rage." He explained to her, "I've been making this in my cave for years and years."

After minutes of screaming, I began to choke from my rage. Effie seemed worried as she approached me.

"Illia, drink this. It'll help you." She then took a wooden spoon and put some weird, but good tasting liquid into my mouth. Suddenly my rage subsided, and I was well again.

"Wow! Thanks Effie, this stuff really works! What is it?" I asked curiously as I hugged her.

"This is Oro's special broth. He made it from lavender and chamomile flowers."

"Well, whatever this stuff was, it works." I turned to Oro and said, "Are we still battling, or are you gonna tell us where Mikhail is."

Oro smiled and said, "There will not be another round, as you have given me one of the best fights I had in 10 years." He then began to float again and released a green orb. "Come, this orb will reveal where your brother is."

The orb began to show a clear image of Mikhail. The area he was in was kind of dark, but it looked very familiar to me somehow. With him was a girl with turquoise hair, and yellow bows who was holding a large stack of documents. He had chains on his wrist and ankles, like the ones I had once before. My eyes began to fill with tears.

"You see, Mikhail has just been mutated a day ago, and the scientists have restrained him for the next phase of this horrendous experiment…"

Before Oro could finish his speech, I began crying hard. The painful sight of my brother going through the same despair as I went through was just too much for me to handle.

"Why? Why did they do this to him…? This is just too horrible for me to bear!" I sobbed with burning tears of pain streaming down my face.

"I know it is hard Illia and I understand your pain very well." Oro reassured me.

"I appreciate your understanding, but you don't know what it's like to have had your freedom and your life taken away from you…" I explained in profound sadness, "But to have my brother go through the same pain is just as miserable…"

"I'd feel the same way as you Illia." Yun said, with some understaning and sympathy, "Hell, if Yang were to go through what you went through, I'd be so mad!"

"You would get mad Yun." Yang said while observing Oro's orb, which was now showing the next part of the experiment. The turquoise haired girl, Effie's sister named Irina, looked scared as she was watching in terror. I became sick through my despair and began to clutch myself.

Effie then held me tightly, and asked in fear, "What are they doing to him?"

Oro pointed to his orb, and said "They are implanting a cybernetic computer into his brain."

"Just like they did to me…" I said, recalling that painful memory.

The orb then revealed a man, who was blue and red with blonde hair watching over the experiment. That man was none other than Gill… the sight of him made me and Effie both shudder.

"That's him! That's the man who did this to Illia!" Yun pointed out at the orb, "When we find him, I hope Illia kicks his butt good!"

We all laughed, and I began to feel a lot better, as my tears had finally dried out.

"You know I'll kick his butt good, Yun!" I said in a confident tone, "Because he's not getting away with what he's done to me and my little brother!"

"That's the spirit!" Oro said, as he made his orb disappear, "Now if you want to find this mysterious man, Gill, you've better get back on your journey."

"Wait old man, can you tell us where to him?" Yang asked him.

"I cannot tell you where you find him, but I can tell you that he's a very powerful force to reckon with… so powerful that no other fighter was ever able to defeat him."

"I'll take that in mind, when I find him. But I will surely beat him at his own game, and get my freedom back!" I said with my signature confidence.

"Well good luck to you and your friends, young Illia and be careful!" Oro bid his farewell and disappeared into thin air.

We set off once again to the next round of my journey to freedom. Despite that shocking revelation that Oro provided me about my brother, it motivated me to do even better in the next round and to think more about gaining back my freedom and rescuing my brother from the clutches of Gill. Yet, I was certain that Mikhail would still be at the same lab that I had escaped from a few weeks before the tournament, but then again only time would tell where he truly is…


	8. A Childhood Memory Awakens

Chapter 8: A Childhood Memory Awakens

It was about 4 hours after my battle with Oro and the shocking revelation, and for some strange reason after we got on the plane, I was all tired out. Effie, sitting beside with her head on my shoulder, seemed to notice.

"You look tired, Illia. Did that fight with Oro wear you out?" She asked, out of concern.

"I have no idea… but that might be it." I continued to yawn, as I began to feel a little drowsy.

"Get some sleep, dude. We've still got a long way to go before our next destination." Yun said, placing a pillow behind my head. "Besides, no one likes a grumpy uh… dude."

"Okay, okay I get it. Now let me sleep." I said in a somewhat grumpy tone.

"All right, good night. Sheesh."

He then retreated back to his seat, where Yang was gazing out the window. As I felt Effie brush up against me, I began to slowly close my eyes.

Suddenly I was in a small village by a lake, and I realized… this was where I grew up. I then looked down and saw that my hands… were human hands, wearing those long black gloves with teal straps and lining along with the teal and black striped shirt that I wore as a teenager… this was another dream of my childhood past. In front of the lake, there was my brother Nicolai, trying to catch some fish for supper. My older brother Dimitri was out riding his noisy motorcycle as usual, while Mikhail was busy making sculptures in the snow. My sister Alexandra seemed to be enjoying the falling snowflakes, as she watched them in her snow throne that Mikhail sculpted for her. I then began to walk towards where my own hut was, to catch up on some daydreaming that I used to do, when Alexandra suddenly noticed me.

"Hey Illia, want to watch the snowflakes with me? I can have Mikhail sculpt you a snow chair."

"Sure I guess. At least it'll give me something to do." I then got out my chair and sat beside her.

For some reason it was hard to see out of one side, as the bangs of my blonde and turquoise hair were parted on the left side of my face. I began daydreaming again about being a star of the opera, as I had always practiced my singing each time I had the chance.

"So Illia, are you still thinking about being in the opera?" she asked me.

"Pretty much. I've always dreamed of becoming an opera singer ever since I was little." I said, recalling the first time I ever went to an opera.

"Wow! That sounds nice." Alexandra said with a smile, "I'm sure you'll make a great opera singer. After all, I have listened to you sing before and you sound heavenly." She clasped her hands together as she caught a snowflake.

"Thanks." I smiled widely, suddenly becoming lost in my thoughts, before they were interrupted by the sound of Dimitri approaching on his motorcycle. He had on a black biker suit lined with blue, which went well with the blue streaks in his brown hair. He even had on those dark sunglasses he always wore.

"Hey Illia!" he said approaching me, "I see you've got something on your mind."

"As I matter of fact, I do." I said tugging at my teal buckle choker. "I was thinking about becoming an opera singer."

"An opera singer huh?" Dimitri looked interested at the thought. "I wonder what made you decide that..."

I then turned and looked at him, and said "Well, when I was little, our parents took us to the opera, and I became inspired to become one. I had dreamed of becoming one ever since that moment."

"Well, I support that idea, at least it'll be better than what our father had become." Alexandra said, recalling how our father was a master thief.

"Hey! It's not his fault, stealing things was the only thing Dad could do to get nice things for our village..."

It made me think more why I actually decided to become an opera singer in the first place. I then retreated back to my hut, to rethink my decision, but Dimitri stopped me. He knew there had to be something else on my mind.

"Illia, you seem thought striken. Tell me, what's bothering you?" he said, concerned about me.

"Well, if I tell you, you won't be too happy about it." I said, looking down in sadness.

"You can tell me. I'll take anything good, cause I'm a real man."

"Okay, since you're a real man, here it goes. I'm thinking of setting off on my own... to find a better life." I said, trying not to cry, "I know it's a bit sudden and a bit too risky, but I feel that if I do this, I can help bring some much need riches to our family and gain some independence of my own."

"So that's what was bothering you this whole time… Well, whatever you decide Illia, I'll support you all the way." Dimitri said with a smile, as he walked away to go park his motorcycle, but then he had a thought of his own. "You know, I'm thinking of doing the same thing as you, Illia. But unlike you, I have a different dream in mind for myself."

"You do?" I suddenly became interested. "Please tell me all about it, Dimitri."

"Heh heh heh heh, all right then, since you're so curious I'll tell you." He then sat down on his motorcycle and looked to the snowy sky. "When I was a little boy, I had a dream of becoming a stuntman. Not just any stuntman, but a motorcycle stuntman."

I was amazed at how he would consider taking part in this dangerous sport, despite how risky it sounds…

"So that's why you've been riding your motorcycle all day… but that dream of yours sure sounds cool." I said, admiring how honest he was.

"Yeah, and I live to be the best motorcycle stuntman in all of Russia!" He shouted with an air of dominance.

"Well, I live to be the best opera singer in all of Russia, and I want to dazzle the people with my fabulous singing!" I shouted with the same air of dominance, causing us to both giggle like two little boys.

"That was a great chat Illia, and boy did that inspire me." He said, with a grin.

"That's great!" I said with joy, "Our little chat will definitely help me out when I set off for the big city tomorrow."

"You… You're leaving tomorrow?" Everyone in the village suddenly gasped after hearing Dimitri's question.

"Yes. I'm leaving tomorrow. There are… opera tryouts in the morning…" I suddenly began to crumple down on the ground and cry, causing my sister and mother to come to my aid.

"It's all right Illia, you never meant to make such a sudden decision like this…" I looked up and peered at my mother's nurturing smile.

"I know… But I only made this decision because I want to have a better life for myself… and for us."

I turned away and hid my face, preventing them from seeing the steady stream of tears that were running down. Alexandra looked worried, as Mikhail and Nicolai huddled mother in fear. Dimitri seemed saddened by my current state, but then smiled.

"Well in that case, if Illia's going to head out to find a better life tomorrow, then I'll go too." He said, in confidence, "Besides I'd like to see how impressed everyone will be when I perform my super cool stunts."

"Wow! Awesome!" my two little brothers said in amazement. Dimitri then placed his arms around me and put me back on my feet again.

"Now Illia," he said to me, "I need you to promise something for when we go tomorrow."

I faced him with an astonished expression on my face.

"All right. Tell me what it is."

"I want you to promise me that when we leave tomorrow that you get the lead role in tomorrow night's opera." Dimitri said, with confidence in me.

"I promise. Thanks for believing in me bro."

"No prob broski." We laughed and hugged each other afterwards, as our mother and our other siblings all laughed and smiled at us.

"My boys are growing up. This is so wonderful." Mother said joyfully.

"They sure are Mother, and I'm very happy that they are…" Alexandra said, supporting her.

"Well, we better head back to the village before it gets dark… I don't want to get bitten by the mosquitoes." Nicolai said, shuddering at the thought. "Great idea, let's go."

As I walked with my family back to the village, it all began to make sense to me now, this was the memory that took place the day before I left for Moscow city for a better life, and before I was turned into the mutant I am today...

We were halfway to the village, when a mysterious voice began to resonate through the sky.

"Illia!" The voice echoed, "Wake up Illia... Illia!"

"Illia, wake up you sleepyhead!" Effie said with a giggle.

"Oh, are we at our next destination yet?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"Not yet Necro. We're just about an hour away." Yang said, while gazing out the window.

"What did I tell you about calling me Necro!?" I screamed at him, my head stretched to where I was looking directly in his face.

"Whoa! Whoa! I didn't you could do that Illia!" he screamed in fear, as Yun laughed at him.

"Much better, and yes I can stretch my head, as well as other parts of my body, you know." I stretched my head back to its original posture.

"Wow, Illia, you should like totally do that cool trick for Halloween some time!"

"Maybe I should some time, that'll really scare the living daylights out of everyone! If only I could show my sister and my brothers…" I pulled out my family portrait and began to gaze at it, as my eyes glazing over as the memories came flooding back. Effie looked upon the portrait and seemed mesmerized by it.

"Is that your family, Illia?" she asked as she curiously looked at the faces that were my sister and four brothers.

"Yes Effie, this is my family… the family I used to live with a long time ago when I was human." I said with some profound sadness.

Yang and Yun were suddenly shocked upon hearing what I had just told Effie.

"Wait, you used to be human? But I thought you were always like, what you are now…" Yang said, in surprise.

"Yes, I was human once… a long time ago when I was young. That dream I just had was a recurring memory I had of the day before I set out for Moscow city… the day I promised my brother that I would make the lead role for the next day's opera." I said, recalling my recent dream.

"Okay and what made you set off for the big city in the first place?"

"Well basically, I wanted a better life for myself, and some riches, since my family was poor anyway. Besides, it's better than what my own father had to resort to in order to get nice things for my family."

Yun then suddenly got a curious look on his face.

"Hmmm I wonder what kinds of things your dad did when you were human…"

"If I tell you, you better not tell anyone else, or I'll electromagnetically charge you to full blast!" I sharply said to him, as if to scare him.

"Okay, I won't tell anyone. I swear on my brother's best…"

"Don't even think about it Yun." Yang intercepted him before he could finish.

"Here goes." I took a deep breath and finally said, "My father is one of Russia's most notorious master thieves…"

The entire plane was suddenly silent, with the exception of a few gasps that escaped Effie's lips.

"You've heard enough, so now I'd like to focus on the next fight… wherever that is." I leaned back in my seat and relaxed all the tension out myself.

Effie and Yang peeked out of the window, and noticed that we were now landing in our destination, located in London.

"Well, we're here. Better go find somewhere to train before your next fight begins."

"Only if you get there before I do!" I said in a cocky tone.

Yun gave me his signature smirk. "You're on Illia!"

The two of us began to race each other to our chosen training spot, as Effie and Yang walked behind, laughing at the all the commotion we brought. As I raced, I thought about the promise I made a long time ago… the one I tried to keep but never could. But then again, I had a new promise to keep… and a new future to fight for, and I was never going to let anything or anyone stand in the way of achieving my dreams and goals.


End file.
